Wherever you went, media would not let you ignore Game 5

The Miami Heat's opportunity to close out the Oklahoma City Thunder for an NBA title was the top story Thursday.

June 21, 2012|By Izzy Gould, Sun Sentinel

Anyone planted in front of a South Florida flatscreen or plugged into a radio app was unable to avoid the message.

The Miami Heat were one victory away Thursday night from winning the NBA Finals.

Whether it was the anticipation in the voices of Joe Rose or Michael Irvin on 560-WQAM morning talk shows, or various local television anchors flashing brighter smiles, South Florida was glowing at the prospect of helping the Heat celebrate a championship.

You would be hard pressed to find an analysts to pick the Oklahoma City Thunder to derail the Heat and extended the series to a sixth game.

Certainly not with the overwhelming dominance of Heat superstar LeBron James.

Few outside of South Florida have silenced their disdain for James' exit from Cleveland, or the bravado he boasted after signing with the Heat.

Barkley attempted to lend perspective on James to a Washington D.C. radio station, 106.7 The Fan. He was asked if winning an NBA title would help James' image?

"If you're successful, a lot of people aren't going to like you," Barkley said via SportsRadioInterviews.com.

"That's just the way it is. I always used to use this analogy: Everybody hates the homecoming queen because she's pretty. All the ugly girls hate the homecoming queen. And all the dumb kids hate the smart kids. That's just the way it is. LeBron James ... has to take some responsibility for the way he did the stuff last year leaving Cleveland, The Decision, coming on stage talking about not five, not six, seven championships. ...I wish he had stayed in Cleveland because those fans in Cleveland, they're fantastic.